Virus overshadows Messolonghi’s basketball feats

The Basket League is limping along the coronavirus pandemic, as the government has allowed the country’s top flight to continue despite the lockdown, but the expanding number of cases among players tends to halve the games played every weekend.

Last weekend only three out of the six games scheduled actually took place, with another played on Tuesday, while from next weekend’s six matches the three have already been postponed.

All this has taken the focus of attention away from the marvelous start to the season by new boys Harilaos Trikoupis of Messolonghi. The club that has risen to the Basket League for the first time in its history and has to play its home games at nearby Agrinio scored last Saturday its third win in as many games downing visiting Ionikos 79-66.

AEK has also made it three out of three beating host Peristeri 66-62 and forcing it to change its coach and hire Argyris Pedoulakis for a fourth time in his career.

On Sunday Panathinaikos saw off PAOK 96-67 in Athens for its second victory in two matches, just two days after losing at home to CSKA Moscow for the Euroleague.

Then on Tuesday, in a game postponed from the second round of matches, Aris came from behind to defeat local rival Iraklis 81-75 and score its first win in two games.